Abstract: A network node comprising: a message handling module configured to control the sending of messages to one or more output ports of the network node based on a rule set stored at the network node, the rule set comprising one or more rules; a communication module configured to receive at least one update to the rule set from a controller node, separate from the network node, for changing the rule set; a supervisor module configured to verify that the changes to the rule set instructed by the update comply with at least a first set of rule-compliance-criteria and, if so, the network node is configured to modify the rule set to implement the changes of the update and, if not, the network node is configured not to implement the changes to the rule set.

Abstract: A frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system includes an antenna array having C antennas where (C=A+B?1), a first integrated circuit (IC) device including A first sensor inputs, and a second IC device including B second sensor inputs. The first sensor inputs are coupled to a first A of the antennas, and the second sensor inputs are coupled to a last B of the antennas such that a common one of the first sensor inputs and a common one of the second sensor inputs are both coupled to a common antenna. Each IC device receives reflected signals on each sensor input, and mixes the reflected signals to associated baseband signals based upon a local oscillator (LO) signal. Each LO signal has a different phase shift. The LO signals are based upon a common LO signal.

Abstract: A power line communication system (200) comprising a first node (202) and a second node (204). The first node (202) comprises a second-node-connection-terminal (206); a first-node-transmission-module (208) that provides a first-node-output-signal (210) to the second-node-connection-terminal (206); and modulates the voltage level of the first-node-output-signal based on first-node-transmission-data. The second node (204) comprises a second-node-input-voltage-terminal (214) that is connected to the second-node-connection-terminal (206) of the first node (202) in order to receive the first-node-output-voltage-signal (210). The second node (204) is configured to use the first-node-output-voltage-signal (218) as a supply voltage.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to use with communications that may involve repetitive communications. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, a subset of symbols in a current data message (130/131) are used with a corresponding subset of symbols in a previous data message (120/121), to ascertain whether the current data message is a repetition of the previous data message. This may involve, for instance, generating a resemblance metric to represent semblance between a subset the data symbols of the current data message and a subset the data symbols of the previous data message (102). The resemblance metric can be used in determining whether the current data message is a repetition of the previous data message. This approach may be useful, for example, in ascertaining whether the current message is a repetition without necessarily decoding the message.

Abstract: One example discloses a near-field device, including: a near-field magnetic antenna, including a coil, configured to receive or transmit near-field magnetic signals; a near-field electric antenna configured to receive or transmit near-field electric signals; and a set of electrical components, electrically coupled to the near-field magnetic antenna and the near-field electric antenna; wherein at least one of: the coil of the near-field magnetic antenna, or a conductive surface of the near-field electric antenna, forms a boundary around the set of electrical components.

Abstract: A low dropout regulator includes a proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) circuit, an amplification circuit, and an output circuit. The PTAT circuit outputs one current, and the amplification circuit outputs one or more currents. The one or more currents are outputted by the amplification circuit based on collector-emitter voltages associated with transistors of the PTAT circuit. Alternatively, the one or more currents are outputted by the amplification circuit based on the current outputted by the PTAT circuit and the collector-emitter voltages associated with the transistors of the PTAT circuit. The output circuit generates one or more output voltages based on at least one of a base-emitter voltage associated with a transistor of the PTAT circuit and a current of the one or more currents outputted by the amplification circuit.

Abstract: A duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit for use in relation to differential signal communications, a method of providing duty cycle correction, and communications systems and methods employing same, are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, the circuit includes a differential signal inverter circuit including first and second inverter circuits, each of which has a respective inverter and respective first and second transistor devices respectively coupled between the respective inverter and first and second voltages, respectively. The circuit also includes a feedback circuit coupled to respective output ports of the respective first and second inverter circuits and also to respective feedback input ports of the respective transistor devices. The feedback circuit operates to provide one or more feedback signals causing one or more of the transistor devices to perform current limiting. Respective duty cycles of output signals respectively are equal or substantially equal based on the current limiting.

Abstract: A network node for coupling to a communication bus, the node comprising: a receiver configured to receive messages from the communication bus; and a transmitter configured to transmit first messages having a first message format and configured to transmit diagnosis messages having a second message format on the communication bus for use in determination of communication errors, wherein said transmitter is configured to send said one or more diagnosis messages having one or more of: (i) a predetermined pattern of symbols; (ii) a predetermined sending schedule; (iii) a predetermined line encoding method; (iv) a predetermined bit rate; (v) a predetermined position in one or more of the first messages; (vi) a predetermined signalling frequency that is out of a frequency band used for transmission of the first messages; and (vii) a predetermined signal strength different from the signal strength used to send the first messages.

Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit comprising a first-, second-, third- and fourth-amplification-blocks, each amplification-block comprising: an amplification-block-transistor comprising and an amplification-block-resistor. The amplification-block-transistor includes: a first-conduction-channel-terminal, a second-conduction-channel-terminal that is connected to an amplification-block-output-node, and a control-terminal that is connected to an amplification-block-control-node. The sense amplifier circuit also comprises: an amplification-block-resistor connected in series between an amplification-block-input-node and the first-conduction-channel-terminal; a first-bias-voltage-source connected to the amplification-block-control-nodes of the first- and third-amplification-blocks, a second-bias-voltage-source connected to the amplification-block-control-nodes of the second- and fourth-amplification-blocks.

Abstract: Embodiments of a device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment, an Ethernet communications device includes a physical layer (PHY) unit or a media access control (MAC) unit configured to perform media access control for the Ethernet communications device. The Ethernet communications device includes a security unit configured to manipulate a data stream in a data path within the Ethernet communications device when the data stream violates or conforms to a pre-defined policy.

Abstract: A temperature exposure detection system includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells. The memory includes memory read circuitry for reading the plurality of memory cells to determine a data retention error rate of the plurality of memory cells. The temperature exposure detection system determines a temperature exposure of the system based on the determined data retention error rate.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to apparatuses, systems and methods for radar processing. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more aspects herein, an apparatus may include receiver circuitry to receive and sample radar signals reflected from a target, and processing circuitry to carry out the following. Representations of the reflections are transformed into the time-frequency domain where they are oversampled. The oversampled representations of the reflections are inversely transformed to provide resampled reflections. Positional characteristics of the target may then be ascertained by constructing a range response characterizing the target based on the resampled reflections.

Abstract: In connection with an RF communication system, exemplary aspects may involve a method and apparatus for use in a communication system in which a RF receiver may be detecting and processing a first signal in an RF channel. Thereafter, a second received signal may be detected, with the second received signal being assessed, by receiver circuitry, as stronger than the first received signal. In response to the assessment of the second received signal being stronger than the first received signal, the RF receiver circuitry may adjust the gain or signal amplification circuitry for continuing to process the second, stronger, received signal in place of the first, weaker, received signal.

Abstract: A transceiver for sending and receiving data from a controller area network (CAN) bus is disclosed. The transceiver includes a microcontroller port, a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to determine bit timings from a data frame received by the receiver. The transceiver is further configured to detect attempts to introduce a signal glitch in a predetermined portion of the data frame and upon detection of the signal glitch, the transceiver is configured to invalidate the data frame on a transmission line and/or disable the transmitter for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a device is provided. The method includes forming a first cavity in a first substrate with the first cavity having a first depth. A second cavity is formed in a second substrate with the second cavity having a second depth. The first cavity and the second cavity are aligned with each other. The first substrate is affixed to the second substrate to form a waveguide substrate having a hollow waveguide with a first dimension substantially equal to the first depth plus the second depth. A conductive layer is formed on the sidewalls of the hollow waveguide. The waveguide substrate is placed over a packaged semiconductor device, the hollow waveguide aligned with a launcher of the packaged semiconductor device.

Abstract: Described are method and systems that implement time frequency domain threshold interference and localization fusion to resolve interference issues in an automotive radar system, that produces spectrograms using Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) for all receiving antennas of the automotive radar system. For each STFT frequency a suppression threshold is determined. Interference is isolated for each STFT frequency by removing the interference from samples that are above the suppression threshold by using a filter. Direction of Arrival (DoA) is estimated for each interference spectrogram cell using measurements from all the receiving antennas. Interference samples are clustered using the DoA into epochs of chirps.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods including an apparatus having sensor circuitry and processing circuitry. In one example, sensor circuitry produces and senses detected signals corresponding to physical objects located in an operational region relative to a location of the sensor circuitry. The processing circuitry records and organizes information associated with the detected signals in a plurality of sub-histograms respectively associated with different accuracy metrics for corresponding sub-regions of the operational region, each of the plurality of sub-histograms including a set of histogram bins characterized by a bin width linked to its accuracy metric, and refines at least one of the accuracy metric by adapting one or more of the bin widths dynamically in response to the detected signals.

Abstract: A digital signal generator apparatus and method is described. The digital signal generator includes a counter, an integrator and a comparator. The counter counts up or down from an initial counter value dependent on a counter control input. The comparator has a first input coupled to the counter output, a threshold input and a comparator output coupled to the counter control input. The integrator has an input coupled to the counter output and an output coupled to the digital signal generator output. The digital signal generator determines the count direction after the initial direction dependent on the comparison between a threshold value applied to the threshold input and the counter output value. The digital signal generator may implement the generation of a waveform having an approximation to a raised cosine function. The generated waveform may be used for audio artefact reduction in an audio amplifier during mute or unmute operations or during power up power down operations.

Abstract: A technique for handling an integrated circuit tape assembly having a plurality of integrated circuits supported by underlying dicing tape involves placing the integrated circuit tape assembly on a film frame carrier (FFC) frame, stretching the dicing tape while on the FFC frame, and securing the stretched dicing tape by engaging a spring ring with the dicing tape and FFC frame. Adjacent integrated circuits are thereby inhibited from colliding during shipment or storage for subsequent processing.

Abstract: A fractional-N all digital phase locked loop (ADPLL) includes a randomly modulated delay having a triangular distribution to a frequency reference at an input of the fractional-n ADPLL to reduce spurious tones introduced by delta-sigma modulation of a frequency control word without requiring active control or calibration. In some embodiments, a delay line generates the randomly modulated delay based on a uniformly distributed random number with a flat spectrum that is shaped by a high pass filter.